title: Knowledge of signs, treatment and need for urgent management in patients presenting with an acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess stroke awareness among patients presenting to the emergency department with an acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive cohort of patients presenting with a cerebrovascular event was prospectively enrolled over a 15-month period and questionnaires were administered. If the patient was unable to respond to the questions or answer the questionnaire, it was administered to the primary caregiver. Comprehension of having a cerebrovascular event, reason for delay in presentation, mode of arrival and knowledge of treatment modalities were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 42% of 400 patients thought they were having a stroke or TIA. The median time to presentation was 3.4 h. Delayed presentation was almost equal in men and women. When asked about onset, 19.4% thought that a stroke came on gradually and only 51.9% thought immediate presentation was crucial. 20.8% of patients had heard of thrombolysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community knowledge of ischaemic stroke needs to be enhanced so that individuals present earlier, leading to timely management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. stead.latha@mayo.edu
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Stead
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaidyanathan
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bellolio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhagra
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Enduri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suravaram
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yassa
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires